Between Fun and Politics: Dimensions of Contemporary Children’s Theater in Poland

My article considers the functions and consequences of introducing a political dimension to children’s theater within the framework of school and out-of-school pedagogy. The main issue from the field of pedagogy is the impact of such theater on the formation of subjectivity of preschool and school children. In the first part of the article, I present selected classical concepts of human subjectivity and discuss pedagogical concepts of the function of theater in the education of the child. Looking at these concepts from the perspective of the child’s subjectivity and from the perspective of political aspects in children’s theater, I point out the connections between the three key concepts of my considerations, which are subjectivity, pedagogy, and politicity in theater for children. At the same time, I highlight those dimen- sions of them where they come into conflict with each other. In the analytical part, I discuss three two selected children’s plays and drama for children. Using their examples, I try to prove that children’s subjectivity does not grow out of the past, nor is it the result of speculation in metaphysical or ethical space, which is characteristic of adults, but is the result of actions to produce their imaginary world. Thus, children’s subjectivity is based less on difference, creating a value that is more affective and communal than individualistic.